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For policing to be effective it requires a strong relationship with the community. The Bike Vault model is built on the same principle and it is starting to pay dividends with the largest second-hand dealer in the world – Cash Converters.

This happy young lad alongside Senior Sergeant Kate O’Neill and First Constable Geoffrey Kwist from Brunswick Police Station can thank Cash Converters and our growing relationship for playing a major part in the recovery of his bike.

It started with a report from Cash Converters staff who identified the stolen bike on the Bike Vault website and some great work from the Victoria Police. This resulted in the recovery of the bike and the arrest of a suspected bike thief.

Informal Partnership with Cash Converters Victoria

In August this year, we were invited by the State and Regional Managers to present at the Victorian Cash Converters Managers meeting along with a representative of the Victoria Police. We were very thankful to be given the opportunity to meet and speak with the managers of the corporate-owned stores in Victoria, providing them with deeper insight on how we can work together to combat bike theft.

Since that meeting we have progressed an informal partnership with Cash Converters Victoria, where we offer a higher level of response to aid them in identifying stolen bikes and engaging the police when a stolen bike turns up at their stores. Our growing relationship has been very successful and resulted in multiple stolen bikes being recovered and several suspected bike thieves and handlers being identified and arrested by the police. Here are a few of the Cash Converters driven recoveries as a result of this alliance.

Gizmo Recovered

Gizmo, a Norco Threshold CX bike was stolen from an apartment garage (bike thieves' favorite hunting ground) in Clifton Hill Victoria on 6 August 2018. It was recovered eight days later when a male tried to sell the bike to Cash Converters Melbourne. Fortunately for Gizmo the manager and staff knew to check Bike Vault and quickly identified that Gizmo was a stolen bike. Realising the jig was up, the seller decided to leave empty-handed with the knowledge the Victoria Police were on their way.

Two in two days

When we can we like to meet with recovery victims. On this occasion, we were heading to take a photo of Gizmo with his very happy owner when we met a couple of police members outside Cash Converters Melbourne. They had just recovered another bike that was listed on Bike Vault as stolen and caught the alleged villain.

A very happy student!

This student has Cash Converters Parkdale to thank when his bike was quickly recovered by police after staff realised it was listed as stolen on the Bike Vault website. The attending police from Chelsea Police Station were very happy to snag a villain and later invited us to their training day, where we able to provide their members with a deeper understanding of the services we provide police and how we can help them to combat bike theft.

Sold but still recoverable

Bike identification is not always straightforward and is the reason why our number one core function is to sure up bike identity. We do this via our free registration platform and the bike identification products we sell. This Trek bike slipped through the cracks due to a lack of identification and was purchased by a Cash Converters store and then on-sold.

As a result of an internal audit, Cash Converters identified it as a stolen bike on Bike Vault. Working together with Cash Converters and the police, we were able to track down the purchaser and recover the bike. The police are now investigating the person who sold it to Cash Converters in the first place.

When they know the jig is up, some like to fold and run

The alleged villains tried to sell this stolen Specialized bike to Cash Converters Glenroy. After staff identified the bike as stolen thanks to the Bike Vault website, they contacted the police and Bike Vault. Realising the jig was up, the alleged villains left the store, leaving the bike behind.

Lacking bike ID is a major driver of bike theft

Purchase one of our sophisticated BIKE ID KITs that provide 20 points of OVERT, COVERT, STEALTH and DIGITAL ID protection to the whole of your bike and help support BIKE VAULT and FREE services we provide to the cycling community and police of Australia to combat bike theft. Single kit $20.00 - Family Pack of four - $60.00. Click here to learn more and order your kit.

Lock up your bike - lock up your bikes ID

Head to our online shop to see all our quality lock and ID bundles to protect your ride: Bike Vault Shop

Velosure Bike Insurance

For a limited time Velosure are offering Bike Vault members and supporters a 10% discount on all Velosure Bicycle policies by entering the promo code BIKEVAULT10 when taking out a policy online.

This insurance is issued by The Hollard Insurance Company. Terms & Conditions apply. Consider the PDS - visit velosure.com.au for details and the PDS. Velosure may remove this offer at it its discretion without prior notice. Bike Vault may receive a referral commission for each Velosure policy sold.

**BIKE VAULT BONUS** - If you take out a bicycle policy with Velosure using the exclusive BIKEVAULT10 promo code, we will give you a FREE BIKE ID KIT or a 25% DISCOUNT on a lock purchase! Conditions apply - Click here to learn more!